


Nightmares

by LadyOneiroi



Category: Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-05
Updated: 2013-10-05
Packaged: 2017-12-28 11:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/991268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOneiroi/pseuds/LadyOneiroi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mother comforts her child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

Issa is the first to act, when the tomb-like peace of the shop is shattered by a cry in the night.

She swiftly slithers up to Karou’s tiny cot, pulling the bony five-year-old into her arms and checking her for injury. “What’s wrong?” the Naja hissed, and the child only sobbed into her chest. 

"Wolf." Karou sniffles, and Issa’s blood runs cold. Her grip on her daughter tightens, but the dark-eyed girl doesn’t seem to mind. Issa can already see the creature Karou so fears clearly in her mind’s eye. Tall, handsome, and snowy white, a monster that killed for wounded pride above any other charges.

"What about wolves?" Issa murmurs, afraid to hear the answer.

"He was big and scary. He was going to hurt me."

Issa shut her eyes and wondered if Brimstone had calculated this. 

"Sweet girl, he can’t hurt you, not here. You’re safe, I’m here with you."

"What if he comes back?"

She can’t know the truth, that the wolf no more knows about her than Issa knows the Seraph cities. For a moment, she remembers her childhood, being held tight against her own mother after waking up crying.

"Why don’t you come up with an ending where the big bad wolf doesn’t hurt you?"

Karou looks up at her caretaker, puzzled. “Huh?”

"Think of a good ending to your bad dream, sweet girl. Get away from the Wolf."

Karou thought for a moment, several in fact. Finally she smiled.

"I grow wings and I fly away."

Issa smiled back, relieved. “So the Wolf doesn’t get you.” Karou nodded excitedly. “Now, back to bed, love. No more bad dreams. No more Wolves.”

Karou wrapped her pale arms around Issa’s neck, kissing her cheek, before sliding into bed.

"Good night, Issa."

Issa went to reply, but then Karou piped up again.

"Good night, Brimstone!"

Issa turned and saw the Wishmonger standing at the opening to the tiny room, a silent sentinel. Issa looked back to Karou, but found the girl had drifted back to sleep. She smoothed some of Karou’s dark hair back before slithering up to Brimstone, who stepped aside to let her pass.

"Does that really work?" he asked, deep voice softened so that Issa barely heard him.

"You should try it." Issa murmured.

She always thought Brimstone would be the only one to relive the horrors of the past in sleep, but it seemed to have carried from father to daughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah, it's been forever since I wrote for DOSAB. I really ought to change that, I have dozens of DOSAB requests on hold on tumblr. This one is yet another tumblr transfer, as if I ever post anything else.


End file.
